LeBron James played a crucial role in preventing a potential upset against South Sudan during a pre-Olympic preparation match for the USA team.

South Sudan’s basketball team came close to pulling off a major upset against a United States squad of NBA stars on Saturday in a pre-Olympic warm-up game in London, narrowly losing 101-100.

LeBron James, 39, who holds the NBA’s all-time scoring record, led all scorers with 25 points, including the game-winning layup with eight seconds left at the O2 Arena.

South Sudan, holding a surprising 58-44 lead at halftime, surged ahead late with an 8-0 scoring run, putting them on the brink of a historic victory before James intervened.

“It was a good ending for us – a preview of what to expect in Paris,” remarked US coach Steve Kerr. “This was a valuable experience. We need to understand that every team we face treats it as a monumental opportunity.”

J.T. Thor, a player for the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, sank a three-pointer with 20 seconds remaining, giving South Sudan a brief 100-99 lead. However, James responded with the decisive shot.

After James’ basket, South Sudan had one final chance, but Carlik Jones missed a jumper with six seconds left, and Wenyen Gabriel’s follow-up attempts failed as time expired.

“South Sudan played exceptionally well,” acknowledged Kerr. “I didn’t prepare my team adequately. We didn’t respect their capabilities enough, and that’s my responsibility.”

James ignited a 23-5 run for the US from late in the third quarter into the fourth, turning the tide of the game.

“We need to keep progressing,” emphasized James, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time NBA champion. “Many of these teams have been training for months, while we’ve only had a couple of weeks together. Every game and every film session is an opportunity for us to improve.”

Joel Embiid, originally from Cameroon and now a US citizen since 2022, contributed 14 points and seven rebounds for the American team.

Anthony Davis came off the bench to notch 15 points and 11 rebounds for the US squad composed of NBA stars.

“We’re not fully cohesive yet, as tonight showed,” commented Davis. “But as I said before, it’s all within our control.”

For South Sudan, ranked 33rd globally, Marial Shayok scored 24 points, Jones added 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Thor contributed 14 points off the bench.

The US team will meet South Sudan again in the Olympic group stage on July 31 in Lille.